Matt Shipman

Apr 18, 2013

New Algorithm Helps Evaluate, Rank Scientific Literature

Keeping up with current scientific literature is a daunting task, considering that hundreds to thousands of papers are published each day. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a computer program to help them evaluate and rank scientific articles in their field. 

Apr 16, 2013

Researchers Devise X-ray Approach to Track Surgical Devices and Minimize Radiation Exposure

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) have developed a new tool to help surgeons use X-rays to track devices used in “minimally invasive” surgical procedures while also limiting the patient’s exposure to radiation from the X-rays. 

Apr 15, 2013

Research Finds Invasive Kudzu Bugs May Pose Greater Threat Than Previously Thought

The invasive kudzu bug has the potential to be a major agricultural pest, causing significant damage to economically important soybean crops. Conventional wisdom has held that the insect pests will be limited to areas in the southern United States, but new research from North Carolina State University shows that they may be able to expand… 

Apr 11, 2013

New Flu Review 2: How Do You Measure Lethality?

Editor’s Note: You may hear about fatality rates or percentages when media report on new and dangerous flu strains, and often times the reports are conflicting. In this post, Barrett Slenning, an epidemiologist at NC State, explains how these fatality rates are calculated, and why the numbers may fluctuate. A previous post on H7N9 flu can… 

Apr 2, 2013

NC State Hunt Library Dedication April 3

Join us for the dedication of the new library named for former Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. on Wednesday (April 3) at North Carolina State University.  Reporters will be able to operate a Navy submarine simulator and experience firsthand some of the other unique technologies available to students in the library. 

Mar 29, 2013

Study Finds Heat Key Factor In Population Growth Of Some Urban Insect Pests

New research from North Carolina State University finds that higher temperatures found in urban environments are a key contributor to higher populations of insect pests called scale insects – indicating that an increase in temperatures associated with global climate change could lead to a significant increase in scale insect populations. 

Mar 25, 2013

Radiation Detection for the Smartphone Era

Add radiation detection to the list of tasks your smartphone can handle, thanks to senior nuclear engineering major Mark Delgado. 

Mar 19, 2013

Researchers Devise Hidden Dune Filters to Treat Coastal Stormwater Runoff

When it rains, untreated stormwater can sweep pollutants into coastal waters, potentially endangering public health. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed low-cost filtration systems that are concealed beneath sand dunes and filter out most of the bacteria that can lead to beach closures. 

Mar 18, 2013

Unexpected Entrepreneur

From electrical engineer to entrepreneur: when Ph.D student Vindhya Kunduru came to NC State, she didn't know she'd soon be bringing vaccines to market. 

Mar 18, 2013

Researchers Trap Light, Improve Laser Potential of MEH-PPV Polymer

Researchers from North Carolina State University have come up with a low-cost way to enhance a polymer called MEH-PPV’s ability to confine light, advancing efforts to use the material to convert electricity into laser light for use in photonic devices. 

Mar 18, 2013

The Heat Is On to Understand Thermal Transport between Materials

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Mark Losego, a research assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at NC State. Losego recently co-authored a News and Views article about nanoscale heat flow in Nature Materials with David Cahill of the University of Illinois. The basics of heat flow have long been overlooked, but now,… 

Mar 15, 2013

Study Offers New Insights on Invasive Fly Threatening U.S. Fruit Crops

Humans aren’t the only species with a sweet tooth. Research from North Carolina State University shows that the invasive spotted-wing vinegar fly (Drosophila suzukii) also prefers sweet, soft fruit – giving us new insight into a species that has spread across the United States over the past four years and threatens to cause hundreds of… 

Mar 13, 2013

New Technique Creates Stronger, Lightweight Magnesium Alloys

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for creating stronger, lightweight magnesium alloys that have potential structural applications in the automobile and aerospace industries. 

Mar 11, 2013

Researchers Solve Riddle of What Has Been Holding Two Unlikely Materials Together

For years, researchers have developed thin films of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) – which converts heat into electricity or electricity to cooling – on top of gallium arsenide (GaAs) to create cooling devices for electronics. But while they knew it could be done, it was not clear how – because the atomic structures of those unlikely… 

Mar 5, 2013

Seniors Who Play Video Games Report Better Sense of Emotional Well-Being

New research finds that older adults who play video games report higher levels of emotional well-being. It’s correlation, not causation, but it is interesting. Researchers at NC State’s Gains Through Gaming lab asked 140 people aged 63 and older how often they played video games, if at all. The study participants then took a battery of…